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The Outcomes of Patients with Haemoglobin Disorders in Cyprus: A Joined Report of the Thalassaemia International Federation and the Nicosia and Paphos Thalassaemia Centres (State Health Services Organisation)

Authors :
Michael Angastiniotis
Soteroula Christou
Annita Kolnakou
Evangelia Pangalou
Irene Savvidou
Dimitrios Farmakis
Androulla Eleftheriou
Source :
Thalassemia Reports, Vol 12, Iss 4, Pp 143-156 (2022)
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2022.

Abstract

Haemoglobinopathies, including thalassaemias and sickle-cell syndromes, are demanding, lifelong conditions that pose a significant burden to patients, families, and healthcare systems. Despite the therapeutic advances and the resulting improvements in prognosis accomplished in past decades, these patients still face important challenges, including suboptimal access to quality care in areas with developing economies, changing epidemiology due to massive migration flows, an evolving clinical spectrum due to ageing in well-treated patients, and limited access to novel high-cost therapies. We herein describe the organization of healthcare services for haemoglobinopathies in Cyprus—with particular focus on beta-thalassaemia, the most prevalent condition in this region—along with selected patient outcomes. This report aims at underscoring the fact that nationally funded and well-coordinated prevention and care programmes for chronic and complex conditions, such as haemoglobinopathies, with active involvement from patient organizations lead to effective disease control and excellent outcomes in survival, quality of life, social adaptation, and public health savings, and allow timely and effective responses to emerging crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cyprus paradigm could therefore serve as a blueprint for the organization or adaptation of haemoglobinopathy programs in other countries since these disorders are still widely occurring.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20394365
Volume :
12
Issue :
4
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Thalassemia Reports
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.3490e6c9b5469a8614430bb61f0dd9
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/thalassrep12040019